Automobile vehicles today are being equipped with flexible computing platforms which provide a number of new functions. For example, the vehicle is capable of wirelessly coupling to a computer via a short range radio frequency (RF) connection to an access point, such as a home access point, to allow a user to upload content, such as digital music or navigational information, to the flexible computing platform. One mode of communication between the vehicle and the access point is wireless communication in accordance with wireless local area network standard IEEE 802.11. In order for the vehicle to initiate the RF connection between the vehicle and the access point in compliance with the wireless local area network standard IEEE 802.11, either the access point needs to periodically transmit a beacon or the vehicle needs to continuously transmit a probe request. However, a transmitted beacon includes a service set identifier (SSID) and periodic transmission by an access point is problematic for users who configure the access point to hide the SSID in order to protect their privacy. Therefore, transmission of a probe request is a preferable method for initiating the RF connection. Yet, continuous transmission of a probe request from a vehicle fails to protect the privacy of the vehicle as the probe request reveals the vehicle's identity by revealing vehicle information such as the vehicle's SSID and the vehicle's Media Access Control (MAC) address.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for initiating RF communication between a vehicle and an access point which preserves the privacy of both the home access point and the vehicle. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.